10 Best Watersports Boat Brands
Watersports boats are highly specialized craft that are ideal for specific activities, but which brands are the best?
Ask a wake surfing expert, a water skiing pro, and a kneeboard aficionado which are the best watersports boat brands, and you’ll probably get three very different answers. Different watersports boats are tweaked and tuned to best serve specific types of riders, and few other types of boats can offer anywhere near the same level of specialization. Since each brand tends to excel at focusing on one sport or another, there can be quite a bit of variation in judgement as to what brand builds the “best” watersports boats. Still, each of these top 10 picks offers something special that sets them apart from the crowd.
- ATX Surf Boats
- Axis Wake
- Centurion Boats
- Chaparral Boats
- Heyday Boats
- Malibu Boats
- MasterCraft Boats
- Moomba Boats
- Supreme
- Tige
ATX Surf Boats
ATX seems like a new entry into the fold with a history only going back to 2019, however, this brand was actually created by longtime builder Tige. They provide serious surfers with a less expensive alternative in a boat that’s designed for wake surfing, period, rather than trying to cater to a number of different activities. The line is fairly limited with just three models, a 20’, 22’, and 24’, which come with long options lists allowing for significant customization. Yet they also deliver a surprisingly comprehensive collection of standard features, including big-ticket items like an electric tower, touchscreen controls, and Wet Sounds audio systems.
See ATX surf boats for sale on boats.com.
Axis Wake
This relative newcomer spun off from Malibu in 2009, promising to deliver the characteristics and tech of the top-tier wake boat brand at a lower price-point. Today, they warrant being called out for having delivered on that promise. Their boats have features like touchscreen controls, tabs, gates, and ballast that allow riders to create the waves they want, yet they also deliver a lot more bang for the buck than most competitors. If you want professional-level performance without paying for the frills some other brands pack into their boats, Axis will be a top contender.
See Axis Wake ski and wake boats for sale on boats.com.
Centurion Boats
Centurion is a well-established builder, which has been in the game since the mid-70s and was a pioneer of building around the inboard V-drive powertrain. Today their lineup focuses exclusively on wake surfing and boarding sports and includes six models up to the flagship Ri265, a 26’6” yacht-certified monster that can be rigged with a whopping 5,850 pounds of additional ballast — nearly doubling the weight and wave-making abilities of the boat. They are well known for offering top-end models with a healthy dose of luxury, but at a price-point that tends to undercut the competitions high-end models.
See Centurion ski and wake boats for sale on boats.com.
Chaparral Boats
Chaparral probably won’t be the brand of choice for a hardcore wake surfer since their Surf lineup doesn’t have the inboard V-drive power system most consider ideal for their sport, but by utilizing Forward Drive (a stern drive with the lower unit facing forward rather than aft), Chaparral can please family boaters in areas where most dedicated wake boats fall short. All of the five models in their lineup are designed with family boating in mind and have perks like big sunpads and swim platforms, roomy cockpit seating, and a large bow cockpit with additional seating. Plus, their largest offering, the 30 Surf, is just about the biggest wake boat you can find.
See Chaparral ski and wake boats for sale on boats.com.
Heyday Boats
In a marketplace where pricing has spiked over the past few years, Heyday makes the list of best brands by keeping affordability in mind and offering dedicated watersports options for people wo don’t have unlimited budgets. With four models from 20’0” to 23’1”, Heyday utilizes hull design, a 117-degree transom angle at the waterline, radiused corners, and ballast to shape wakes, as opposed to putting on cost-adding tabs and plates. Heyday boats also have a rather unique look as compared to most other watersports boats.
See Heyday ski and wake boats for sale on boats.com.
Malibu Boats
Malibu builds a wide selection of watersports boats including wake surfing and multisport models, but stands apart from most other builders in that they still have multiple offerings for water skiing fans. Wakes sports have eclipsed skiing in recent years and most builders either dropped ski boats from their line or offer just one model. Malibu, on the other hand, continues to offer both closed bow and open bow tournament-level ski boats for those who love water skiing above all else.
See Malibu ski and wake boats for sale on boats.com.
MasterCraft Boats
Of all the watersports boats out there, few have a reputation to match that of MasterCraft. Building dedicated watersports boats since 1968 they’re one of the most experienced players in the field, and their boats are known for having a flawless fit and finish, rugged construction, and topnotch quality in every piece and part. They’re also known for their innovation, coming up with advanced touchscreen controls and computerized surf-settings that allow riders to fine-tune the waves to their exact desires.
See MasterCraft ski and wake boats for sale on boats.com.
Moomba Boats
Known for a solid mix of quality and cost control, Moomba boats are an excellent and relatively affordable option for mixed-use watersports. Their biggest claim to fame, however, may be customer satisfaction — they’ve won National Marine Manufacturer Customer Satisfaction Index awards for close to two decades running. Another unusual perk their boats deliver is maximum seating space, and even their smallest offering, the 20’ long Mondo, can seat over a dozen people. The largest, the Makai, is rated to seat 18.
See Moomba ski and wake boats for sale on boats.com.
Supreme
The Supreme lineup includes six boats from 22’ to 25’2” which are rigged with gobs of ballast and are appropriate for both surf and towed watersports, while also maintaining a serious emphasis on comfort. Supreme takes specific measures with their construction and exhaust system to lower interior decibel levels when running, claiming you’ll hear just 86.5 dBA at the helm at cruise (about as loud as the average dishwasher). Seats and cuhions are wrapped in 17-mil Comfort Strong vinyls, and the interiors of the boats are fully bolstered from stem to stern.
See Supreme ski and wake boats for sale on boats.com.
Tige
The Tige brand is known for innovation and was the first to patent the TAPS wake-shaping system, the convex V hull, and touchscreen controls in a wake boat. Most recently, in 2022 it won WakeWorld’s Innovation of the Year with its SolidShade electric folding tower. The lineup includes seven models from 21’5” to 25’5”, with the Ultre ZX flagship class oozing luxury. Look for exclusive highlights like RGB LED lighting accents, an onboard auto-inflator for tow-toys, a refrigerated cooler, and more.
See Tige ski and wake boats for sale on boats.com.
There are plenty of other brands of watersports boats out there, and just because one doesn’t appear on this list doesn’t mean it wouldn’t necessarily be best for you, personally. Those who want a jet boat will be interested in Yamaha boats. If you want more of an all-around bowrider that can also be used for watersports, brands like Regal might be more your style. But for serious watersports lovers the boat brands appearing here will surely be in the running — no matter which type of surfing, boarding, or skiing you love the most.
If you’re still experimenting with different activities and aren’t yet sure which form of watersports boat would be best for your tastes, check out Best Watersports: Your Ultimate Guide.
